History

The Development of Aerosol Science in the UK: The Aerosol Society

Ian Colbeck
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Essex Colchester
CO4 3SQ, UK

(Revised version of chapter in History of Aerosol Science, O. Preining and EJ Davis (eds), Verlag der Osterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, 2000)

In recognition of the growing importance of aerosols in various disciplines, numerous national and international societies have been established. For instance within Europe, the Dutch-Belgian Aerosol Society and the Gesellschaft für Aerosolforschung (GAeF) were both founded in 1972. Given that C. N. Davies was the founding Editor of both The Annals of Occupational Hygiene and the Journal of Aerosol Science and played the major role in stimulating and bringing together other researchers from all parts of the world, it is somewhat remarkable to find that, in the UK, the Aerosol Society was not formed until 1986.

The United Kingdom has a considerable history in the development of aerosol science. The fundamental properties of aerosols have been studied for more than a hundred years. In the nineteenth century aerosol particles represented the smallest division of matter known. Many great scientists of the time, such as Faraday, Tyndall, Lister, Kelvin, Maxwell and Rayleigh contributed to our understanding of aerosols.

By 1936 there was sufficient interest in aerosols to hold the first international conference on the topic. The sixty-fourth general discussion of the Faraday Society was held in the Department of Chemistry, University of Leeds, from 20th to 22nd April 1936. The subject was considered under two headings:- Part I -The General Properties and Behaviour of Disperse Systems composed of (a) solid and liquid non-volatile particles; (b) aqueous and other volatile particles. Part II - The Industrial Aspects of Disperse Systems in Air and Gases. An introductory paper was given by Whytlaw-Gary with 14, 11 and 9 papers, respectively in Part I (a), Part I (b) and Part II. The overseas guests included Professor Firket (Liege), Dr Hiedemann (Cologne), Professor Köhler (Uppsala), Dr Nolan (Dublin) and Dr Schmeel (Darmstadt) amongst others. The proceedings also included a paper by Fuchs.

Some twenty-four years later the Faraday Society held a discussion meeting entitled 'The Physical Chemistry of Aerosols' with headings of (I) nucleation: homogeneous and heterogeneous; (II) growth of particles and (III) physical and chemical properties. Some twenty-two papers were presented altogether from both home and overseas authors. In 1973 a Faraday Symposia of the Chemical Society was held on fogs and smokes. Of the nineteen papers six were from overseas. It therefore appears that there was interest within the UK in aerosol research.

Following a suggestion from C.N. Davies, R.T. Jarman attempted form an aerosol group within the Institute of Physics. In Journal of Aerosol Science (vol. 1, p169, 1970) there is a request for anyone who is interested in forming such a group to contact Jarman. The response was poor (Jarman, private communication) and no such group was formed.

Whilst trying to establish a masters course at Essex, Davies attempted to summarize the state of aerosol research in Britain. In 1975 he sent out a request for information to forty-six establishments. The addresses were selected either because the laboratory concerned had published work or was known to work on aerosols, or because they had indicated work in progress in the publication of the Department of Education and Science 'Scientific Research in British Universities and Colleges, 1972-3'. Twenty-seven replies were received, including six indicating no activity. Davies concluded that work in the following areas was in progress: medical, tobacco, air pollution, meteorology, engineering and basic research. Davies continued to emphasis how teaching and academic research on aerosols were lagging behind applied research. He sent a copy of his report to the Science Research Council (SRC) who replied that more support should be given to aerosol research; however there were no specific proposals. In further correspondence the SRC said 'that aerosol science was a subject of growing importance and one which had been neglected in the UK' and there was ' a serious shortcoming in the very small amount of fundamental work on aerosols in the UK, despite their great industrial and environmental importance'. However no funding was forthcoming.

Hence it is, perhaps, not so surprising for the lack of enthusiasm for an Aerosol Society. In fact only two members of the UK aerosol community were members of GAeF in 1974 and by 1986 this had risen to twenty-two. By the mid 1980's it was realized that the only forum open for discussing matters encompassing the whole of aerosol science was the annual conference of GAeF and the AAAR. Since these conferences were held overseas the number who could attend from the UK was restricted, mainly due to economic considerations. It was therefore decided to form an aerosol society to serve the UK and the Republic of Ireland. A Standing Committee, composed of Mrs P.K.P. Burnell, Mr A. Cussens, Mr W.D. Griffiths, Dr J.P. Mitchell, Dr J.N. Pritchard and Dr N.P. Vaughan, was formed in 1985. They planned the inaugural meeting, which was held on 15th July 1986 at the Royal Free Hospital and attended by 136 people. The morning session was reserved for the transaction of Society business and in the afternoon lectures were given by C.N. Davies, J.W. Gentry and J. Vincent. Griffiths was elected Chairman of the Society and, in addition to the those on the Standing Committee, Dr R.M. Harrison, Dr I. Livsey and Dr J.I.T. Stenhouse were elected to the committee. The aims of the society are:

1. To promote all scientific branches of aerosol research
2. To promote by means of meetings and publications the spread of information on an interdisciplinary basis, and to make available a pool of expert knowledge.
3. To encourage international co-operation
4. To recruit new members and assist in training.
5. To encourage investment in aerosol research.
   
   Further details of this meeting are given by Griffiths and Vaughan (1987 and 1998).